i know this is an old post, but my problem is that google maps is way more updated than my mapsource program. So I can select back roads on Gmaps and then when I send them to mapsource those dirt roads are not there.

__________________2011 Kawa Versys 1997 KLR 650sure beats the shiz out of trying to start the old 82 XJ650 every morning with heat lamps and starter fluidwww.carbonmade.nealjordan.com

I just found this site dualsportmaps.com and it's not too bad for an old fart stuck in the 50's to understand....I have managed to save a track across Canada to Dawson City as a first attempt.....
The only thing is, with the million or two track points to get it to follow the roads etc, will this overload my GPS nuvi 550? Will I need to make much smaller tracks and then save them in order 1 to 10 as and example for the GPS to handle it? My brain has just about handled all it can for now.....I smell smoke....but any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I also semi understand I still need to buy a Mapsource program though correct? That is to get that track into a GPS file or is it GPX...?

I just found this site dualsportmaps.com and it's not too bad for an old fart stuck in the 50's to understand....I have managed to save a track across Canada to Dawson City as a first attempt.....
The only thing is, with the million or two track points to get it to follow the roads etc, will this overload my GPS nuvi 550? Will I need to make much smaller tracks and then save them in order 1 to 10 as and example for the GPS to handle it? My brain has just about handled all it can for now.....I smell smoke....but any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I also semi understand I still need to buy a Mapsource program though correct? That is to get that track into a GPS file or is it GPX...?

Thanks guys.

MapSource was end of lifed I believe. The Garmin website only offers BaseCamp now, which I don't love, but I didn't love MapSource either which I why I made dualsportmaps.com in the first place.

If you are really wanting to use your Garmin, go to the modify tracks page, click on the track's little colored square in the list box on the left. A popup will open that allows you to change its color and make it a "route". Make it a route (by checking the Is Route box), and then export that GPX and open it in MapSource and "recalculate it" (I assume BaseCamp can do this as well). That should get you a little closer to what you are after. I found the Garmin devices just too annoying to use for offroad stuff ultimately and created my own Android navigation software (which shares its name with the website). It has no problems with long detailed tracks. If you are wanting to do any off road navigation your Garmin will let you down. In that case I'd definitely suggest you find something else (like mine which was designed specifically for off road use). The Garmin is good for road travel though.

I just found this site dualsportmaps.com and it's not too bad for an old fart stuck in the 50's to understand....I have managed to save a track across Canada to Dawson City as a first attempt.....
The only thing is, with the million or two track points to get it to follow the roads etc, will this overload my GPS nuvi 550? Will I need to make much smaller tracks and then save them in order 1 to 10 as and example for the GPS to handle it? My brain has just about handled all it can for now.....I smell smoke....but any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I also semi understand I still need to buy a Mapsource program though correct? That is to get that track into a GPS file or is it GPX...?

Thanks guys.

You can't upload tracks to your Nuvi 550, only routes. The maximum number of points per route is 200. You can have 10 routes imported at any one time, but you can store almost unlimited ones on a microSD card in .gpx files. You just have to delete some of the 10 to make room and then import the new ones.

If you want to follow long tracks (vs routes) you have the wrong GPS. Someone skilled in Mapsource and GPS stuff in general could probably make it work (using "off road" routes), but it still wouldn't be ideal.

. I found the Garmin devices just too annoying to use for offroad stuff ultimately and created my own Android navigation software (which shares its name with the website). It has no problems with long detailed tracks. If you are wanting to do any off road navigation your Garmin will let you down. In that case I'd definitely suggest you find something else (like mine which was designed specifically for off road use). The Garmin is good for road travel though.

Just curious - what is your specific issue with Garmins? Limited number of track points?

Just curious - what is your specific issue with Garmins? Limited number of track points?

My experience is limited to the 60csx and Zumo 550, but I found that neither did a lot to make the like of a dual sport rider easier. The 60 had a small screen, was hard to see while moving, not easy to interact with, and was really designed to be used while on foot (where it shines). The Zumo was great for traveling on roads where routes work, but uploading a track of an off road trip rendered it nearly worthless. I started creating custom routable trail maps that made the Zumo work well but it was a lot of effort, I mean a LOT of effort (photo below).

So I finally gave in, created the dualsportmaps.com website so I could have track authoring tools that didn't suck, as MapSource did, for offroad (no satellite maps) and then went about creating an Android dual sport navigation system. Its all I use now and I've never been happier. Here is my system in action. I even created a remote control so you can interact without taking your hands off the bars.

I guess it comes down to personal preferences, but I think my Garmin 60 and Mapsource work awfully well for planning and navigating off-road motorcycle trips. I ride about 50 days and maybe 7000 miles a year almost entirely offroad.

I switch back and forth between City Navigator and old Topos for planning. And I try to get tracks by other riders from either dualsportmaps.com or GPSXchange whenever possible. I also rely a lot on paper Benchmark Road and Recreation maps for getting the big picture for trip planning.

I "navigate" using tracks and not routes. Other than occasionally zooming in and out, I do not and do not want to interact a lot with the GPS while I am riding.

I admit I cannot see the screen on my 60 when I am riding into the sun on sunny days. And this gets very annoying at times. I have a Ram mount, so I can sometimes swivel the unit around so I can see it better, but sometimes I just have to stop and orient myself so the sun is hitting the screen.

You can use tools like DSM to do your planning when MapSource lets you down, so if the 60 works for you then you are good to go (the Zumo and Nuvi don't really work well since they have track point limits for their Route conversion thing).

With the fancy computers so many people have sitting in their pockets these days, I think software that makes your one device do everything you need is the future. Reduce, reuse, recycle! I just picked up a broken Android phone for literally nothing and fixed it for $30 in parts in tools. I just got a backup GPS. That's tough to beat!

Have you checked out the new New Mexico map overlays that got uploaded to the site the last few days?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbbnm

I guess it comes down to personal preferences, but I think my Garmin 60 and Mapsource work awfully well for planning and navigating off-road motorcycle trips. I ride about 50 days and maybe 7000 miles a year almost entirely offroad.

I switch back and forth between City Navigator and old Topos for planning. And I try to get tracks by other riders from either dualsportmaps.com or GPSXchange whenever possible. I also rely a lot on paper Benchmark Road and Recreation maps for getting the big picture for trip planning.

I "navigate" using tracks and not routes. Other than occasionally zooming in and out, I do not and do not want to interact a lot with the GPS while I am riding.

I admit I cannot see the screen on my 60 when I am riding into the sun on sunny days. And this gets very annoying at times. I have a Ram mount, so I can sometimes swivel the unit around so I can see it better, but sometimes I just have to stop and orient myself so the sun is hitting the screen.

99.9% of my riding is on some sort of road, My neck and back are too screwed up now to risk an off that could leave me paralized....nipples down as the surgen said! So, I'm a on road adventure rider now. So saying that the NUVI 550 should be OK for me. I found your program much easier than what I had of Basemap ......but I still need to get routes, tracks whatever over from whatever into my 550.
That is the $64,000 question......how to do it the easiest way for a non tech noob who has difficulty dealing with the simplist operation PC wise.

So, if you have a very simple way for me to get a route planned for my Toronto to Inuvik toVancouver Island and back to Toronto....I'm all ears.....seriously!!! I have done it after hours of using just the GPS, but want a easier way.

Have you followed these instructions yet? This is where I would start.

Quote:

Originally Posted by craftycoder

If you are really wanting to use your Garmin, go to the modify tracks page, click on the track's little colored square in the list box on the left. A popup will open that allows you to change its color and make it a "route". Make it a route (by checking the Is Route box), and then export that GPX and open it in MapSource and "recalculate it" (I assume BaseCamp can do this as well). That should get you a little closer to what you are after. I found the Garmin devices just too annoying to use for offroad stuff ultimately and created my own Android navigation software (which shares its name with the website). It has no problems with long detailed tracks. If you are wanting to do any off road navigation your Garmin will let you down. In that case I'd definitely suggest you find something else (like mine which was designed specifically for off road use). The Garmin is good for road travel though.

Like I said before, I don't think MapSource is available anymore it has been end of lifed. It was replaced with Basecamp which is free from Garmin. Google Maps can do little of use for you because of the limitations of your GPS. In fact without having the maps that are on your Nuvi in Basecamp I don't think you will be able to use it to make suitable routes for your Nuvi either (to make routes you need to have the same map in your PC and on your Nuvi). You may have to make very low track point tracks on DSM and then upload them to the Nuvi in little pieces, if necessary, to make it do what you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willys

I need to still purchase Mapsource first.....that is no-one in the know tells me that I can use Google maps as easy?

Have you checked out the new New Mexico map overlays that got uploaded to the site the last few days?

Yes I saw them. I assume you are referring to the Cibola NF maps. Very nice.

BTW I still love your site and try to check it out every couple of days to see what's new. I have passed the link onto to many others, and most really like it (at least those who are into mapping and such).

It would be awfully nice if contributors would put a little more descriptive info into their uploads about where a track is. The map search feature makes this noncritical but I would still like it.